Saturday night Cicero, IL had a fire in a 3-flat apartment building at 2120 s 59th Ave. Crews did a great job and knocked it pretty quick. In total I believe they had 4 lines lead out and the main from Truck 1 was up to the roof.
Companies were sent for a commercial box in southwest on 4/28/19. Engine 27 stretched on a commercial building at Vernor X Junction. Chief 7 reported they were taking a defensive posture and requested a platform. They had a 2-sty, 100×200, occupied Dollar Store going through the roof. At the height of the fire, it had extended to a 2-sty taxpayer and ended up burning through that roof. In total, three aerial master streams and numerous landlines were used to bring the fire under control.
A total rundown of the companies @ the 2nd Alarm at 5656 W Vernor were as follows:
Saturday afternoon, Oak Park (IL) companies fought a tough fire @ 530 s Scoville in a two-story apartment building. Numerous hose lines were dropped and two master streams were used to knock down this fire. About two hours into this fire, there was another fire about three blocks away. The first-in companies (Riverside engine, Brookfield engine, and Oak Brook ladder) arrived to find a three-story frame house, with the back end totally involved. The area was taxed of all their resources which then brought a Task Force of Interdivisional companies to cover the towns while fighting these fires.
We took in the extra alarm fire last week on the westside of Chicago. It was a food manufacturing warehouse and the first-in companies encountered heavy fire on their arrival. A lot of in-line pumping operations took place at this job which required many resources, which at the peak of the fire, made it to a 5-11 and 4 Specials. Twenty two engines, ten trucks including four tower ladders, Squad 2, plus a plethora of special equipment responded to this. We got to this about an hour into the fire.
Sunday night (3/31/19), the Chicago’s MFAO sent companies to a working fire @ 3104 W. Monroe Street. Upon arrival, Battalion 18 had a 3-sty brick, with heavy fire on the first, second, and third floors plus an exposure problem. A Still and Box was requested shortly after. Companies lead out 6+ hand lines and had two truck companies working the roof. For a short time, they had heavy fire venting through the roof and top floor. While working, multiple members fell through a hole in the floor which activated the Mayday Alert and 2-11. I believe the RIT team did remove one of the injured firefighters from the rear of building. Tough fire and a lot of work. Thankfully the injuries sustained were not life threatening. These photos began about 10 minutes into the fire.
3/11/19 – On the way back home from a fire on Mansfield, Central office put a Box Alarm out for 17th Ave X Buchanan. We were only about a mile away from it on I-96. We arrived before any of the first-due companies and starting shooting pictures. Engine 39 arrived and stretched. The crew attempted to make a push in the front door but Chief 5 pulled them out almost immediately due to the amount of fire venting from the roof. They took a defensive posture and put Ladder 7 to work. The home was occupied and DEMS transported the homeowner to the ER. I believe DFD was back twice after we left for rekindles which we did not make it too, but the last one was going throughout and had collapsed.